The Forgotten

14

Mira and Tine could feel the palpable tension when the entered her home. But Lady Amethyst, determined to keep their secret until the Harvest festival and the wedding, stood and greeted her daughter with a kiss on her cheek. 

"There you are, my darling. Look how wonderful you look. You're cheeks are flushed and your eyes a positively sparkling. You and Tine must be hungry. It is almost time for dinner and cook has outdone herself as usual. She has leg of lamb with mint jelly, squash au gratin, fresh pickles, leafy vegetables and a wonderful chess pie for dessert. Come in and get ready for dinner."

Mira looked from her mother to Raptor. Only just then seeing the resemblance in the shape of their faces, the up-tilted eyes and the honey toned skin. Gasping, she squeezed Tines hand, needing something to steady her. Tine sensing her distress, gently put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her back against him. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Breathe my love. All will be revealed soon. Your suspicions will either be confirmed or denied on our wedding night." 

Mira, her eyes still trained on her mother and Raptor, never responded verbally. She just nodded as she allowed Tine to take her cloak and hang it by the door. Nodding to His "uncle" Tine guided Mira to the dinner table just as the cook was bringing food to the table. 

Many times during dinner, Mira noticed Raptor studying her and her mother with a look on his face that could only be described as longing. Tine tried multiple times to draw him into a conversation but to no avail. Finally, in what felt like a somewhat desperate attempt to normalize the atmosphere, Issac said to Tine, "Young man, when do we get to visit the build site. I, for one, am anxious to see what type of home you are building for my daughter to live in."

"Father!" "Isaac!" Mira and her mother both gasped in  embarrassment. 

Tine patted Mira on her shoulder and said, "It's quite alright, love. As your father, it is his right to ask such a question. Even demand to see proof of my finances. Where Raptor and I come from, the female's father is her ultimate protector until her mate and husband takes over the job on their wedding day. In our culture, we actually call it the Joining Day, because it is not just a marriage of two individuals, it is a joining of two families, forever united in a single night. Thus the large celebration. That is just one of the reasons that the entirety of both of our villages will be in attendance. As a matter of fact, my village is bringing much food. There will be wagon loads of it when my people arrive.

Lady Amethyst sat back and watched her future son-in-law distract her daughter. It was a good thing. She had no idea that the man sitting across the table from her is actual her great-grandfather. That was going to take some explaining. Taking into consideration how young he looked.

As dinner came to a close, Mira yawned largely. So hard that her eyes watered. Chuckling at her face, which had scrunched up, her mother was about to speak up when Tine beat her to it.

Leaning in, he kissed Mira's cheek ever so lightly. "Sleep well, my love. Tomorrow, I take you to view our future home. and show you parents that I am more than capable of providing for  you and our children." 

Mira felt somewhat intrigued as she watched a mysterious look pass from Tine to Raptor. She knew that somehow they were communicating with each other, she just didn't know or even understand how.

After the meal, the family retired to the salon where everyone chatted about the upcoming wedding.  An hour had passed and Mira's yawns were becoming more frequent. Leaning over her to kiss her cheek, Tine whispered that she should retire because the next day was going to be a long one.

Raptor and Tine wished the family a goodnight and walked out, shutting the door quietly behind them. Walking several steps away from the house, Tine turned to Raptor and demanded to know what was going on.

"Tine, my bloodline is old. Older even than yours. And you are about to marry into it." The magnitude of what his friend said stopped Tine in his tracks. Grabbing Raptor's arm, he stood there and open and closed his mouth several times before Raptor gently pried his hand off of his bicep. "Yes Tine, Mira is my bloodline. She is my great granddaughter. And before you ask, no. She has no clue. This is part of the information that will be revealed on the wedding night. Mira will not understand the weight of our combined bloodlines until the Elders come and read our bloodlines the night after the wedding in the privacy of y our home." Walking off Raptor went ahead to the inn to go to his room, expecting that Tine would go to bed soon as well.